Peter Graham (continued)

Despite the gigantic progress in technique and production the world remains as burbarous as if man still worked with flint and stone, ‘The barbarity of unemployment. homelessness, peer wages and bow living standurds still sccurpepsociety, Today the work ts scurred, as ever before by wars.of privilege and plunder, Millions cf pears aré wasted on armaments while cnillions of starving workers and peasints perish. And the powerlyl udwances in science and industry have served mot bo further che progress of civilisation bad on the contrary, to intensify the exploitation and oppression of the greater pari of humanity.

[neeockery where production is carried on so cially but where the rewards are reaped by private individuals; every advance is but a new twist in its own death agony, Peter Graham, whe came from a working class-home, but who was a fiphly qualified technician-saw the madmes Of this contradiction. Me readily dedicated his life to resolving this irrationality, He pledged his-life to the future of mankind becuse like every true revolutionary the future watwortl neore to him than the present sacrifices.

The death of Peter Grotam waso cruel and trawie blow to the Young Sacialicts, “Mis tireless work and political guidance was invalaable to Our organisation, especially in our more youthful days, By the strength of his reasoning und the example of his personal courage he planted the weds of tevolutionary politics deep among us. The credit for.any contribution we in the ¥.5. Gin make to the struggle for socialism in Ireland will go largely to Comrade Graham.

Why, one might aek was an individual driven by such comiction that he disraparded his own well-being and placed himeetf in such danger? if FOU cannot see the answer itis only because vou have newer opened your eyes.

Look around!

His commitinent began with his support fer the Labour Party. He soon outgrew this and became amember of the Communist Party. Here his re VOLULIONary Views were Uowelcomed and he was quickly “dropped”. Theo he joined the Irish Workers Group. He began to develop: mere poli tically taking a serious interest for the firet 1 inéeamomics philosophy and history. When the Irish Workers Group split, Peter helped founda nominally Trotskyist Grotip the League fora Workers Republic.

He soon discovered that some of his asseciates While revolutionany: in words, stood full auare In opposition to Trutskyism in practice, particolarly of the intematinnal and naticnal qucations. Finally, after puatlitip ipa bitter fight in face of criticii and ignorance he lets for London 1e organise a defence campaign for Frank Keane, a leading fighter against British imperjitism, then being framed on a murder charge While in London, Cde Graken: joined the Inter tational Marxist Group and the Fourth Trier. national, When the opportunicy. colay the fran dations oF an lish Section of the Fourth InterNational arose, Peter cetunned inamnecdintely Back in Dublin be rejoined the Young Socialists aid wasan importunt driving forse in organising a Trotskyist fection which rapiddy won the overwhelming support of the Dublin regional area and the sympathy of other branches around. che cuinitry. Els had indeed tremendously: enhanced the possibility of organising a revoludonary murs. iit orpanisstion before he was lost to we, Theory Bur Cde Graharn's qualities were wot only at even pricnarily of an organisational and administrative nature. Hewad first and foremost a thinker. He read widely in Marxism und wend back further co ite very coote, Only a short lime before lis: agiamination he had begun‘a-study of the German philosopher Hegel from whorn Mark Warned much. Healy-Lamberi grouping whose treachery in He did pot sutier from the inferlority complex Connon among so many workers and petty bourgeois elements who imagine that economics, and pluilosophy is only for intellectuals and professors, The workers being a subiect clas posscsecd nothing. but their ability ta think. Th it is the only weapon at their disposal in their fight fora new society, and Cde Grahom saw the necessity to develop this weapon to its sharpest edee. Many “activists PETER GHAHAM —[S46.29071— (as they like to call themeelsesh on the revolictionacy left were aucprised to Iearn the cireumstinces of Petersdeath. They never understocd) that fo? arevolutionary Marxist theory isonly aguide te action thowzh angeential guide. They were amazed to find this young militant who wis so dedicated to theory had done more in his shart fife fur che cause of advialism than the rese uf them purl together, We inthe Young Sociulists fully realise that we can become worthy in heritor: of (de Graham's herote legacy only i we live up lo his example in this respect, The Fourth International Intimetely linked with lil pursuit-of koowledge wai Cde Grahams tiickees efforts to Guild the Fourth lotermational. Intermationatise to hire was now an abstract idea. Hecwuse he was a ral revolutionary involved in fhe wetual struggle he could mot have doe fis work effectively withoul Lhe solidarity and auppoct of his interna. tional comrades, [i ig all wight for diese “actiwets who engage themselves in what is seally only seformistuclivity to. talk endlessly about “internationals” bat for ceyolurionuries locked in life and death struggle. international ban must be practiced. Thos Cde Crrahaen quickly peaiged the need for Irish revlutionaries io uitegrale themselves with the world veVolition movement, Today theinaly opcans of doing this is through the Fourth laternational Idany Former associnteso! CdeGraham whi are ouly observers and nel active participants in the etrugele, were because of this unable to understand his reasons for formang the Forth Infernalianal. Agtaratly they daye-all eventually either shilted significantly to the right or de: penerated into helpless philistines.

The lessoot bo be fenened from de Graham's

At the stert of the War of Independence, De Faters bid dower Ais edict, “Labour must wait”; Le, that iebour must subordinate tty clas inter cee fo the nationalist stripe.

Throtphout most of Mer wer, lobowr waited Below, Rayner Lysght describes the month ween this claz: alfience fed! artunder. The truce of 12th July, (921 ended effectivehy the Irish War of Independence. It began, too, a detenmined counter-offensive by the lrish employers againat the gains made by their workers in the previous five years.

The link was netco-incidental, Prom 1920 onwards there was workd-wide reaction in which the bosses. ect about crushing their workers io Ireland, this reaction took the political form of the Tan War and the Belfast pogrors, Hut, though the latter was effective in Weakening the trade oniens in the nerchfact of the island, the Black & Tans could only contain the advance of Labour; they could not reverse it, The continuing survival of the vol unter made it imposible for direct milita nem to be imposed. The British Government's mulitary advisers informed it that the Republic could net be defeated by force of arms in less than a year. Such a long drawn out solution wus unsatisfactory to British capitaliam for both economic and political reasons. So the British Prime Minister, Lloyd George sought an agreement with Dail Eireann, As the Dail feared the cheice hetween military defeat and working-class merbilisaticn that the ‘Tan War was forcing on it, i accepted the Truce. Ever since then, in fact, Dail Eireann has been the instrument of che capitalist “democratic dittatorship: in 26 counties of Ireland.

The [rish employers recognised this iminwdiately. Even under the Black & Tans they had attempted polices that led to clashes with theit workers, a8 had eccurred, most netably, at Arigna (see Young Socialist, Aupuat b¥7 |), Ag the end of the War approached, various employer began to act with new vigour. On the 244th of June the ownereof 14 to 16 Dublin Hoes called for wage curs, With the actual truce, the employers initiated the class war, The position of the workers was weakened by the British Government's repeal of the legislation controlling the railways and the conditions of work “enieyed" by apriculLurad labourers, But the fire! actual clash came in the engineer: ing, trades (erther than shipbuilding}, Here the bgses were encouraged by the success.of che counterparts geross the Chonnel, [na Britain on the Shh June, after several previous draft agreements had been defeated by the workers, the Federation of the Engineering & Shipbuilding Trades made anew deal withthe Engineering & National Employers’ Federation. By this, (he increase in wages (6). per week: 13% piecemnrk) that the former had gained for its members in March, 1920, wasto he removed in two stapes: on | Sth July and | Sth Aszust, Gn 1athJuly, this was passed by the engineers by 175,000 votes to 109 ,000_ Most of the engineering emplovers in the [ish Republic were affiliated to the BK EF, and Were Gager to enforce suovar cols on their work kere. But these latter did not accept the aucthority of the bE3.7. and were prepared to fight, arguing brelund's high cost of living, The E.N.E,F. refused its Trish affiliates the power to make any separaie agreement. Accordingly, on 30th July, the Irish engineers, including 700 in Dublin, struck work Lo preserve the status que, There Wee oo question of demanding rere) the oper ation was conceived to hold what was posseased, Almost immediately afterwards; there come the Annual Meeting of the irish Labour Party and Trade Union Congress. Atit,a 9 ping progracn me was proclaimed, but no new machinery was created to Orpanise 0 Sitategy to implement it, and proporale to thisend were sidetracked by the plattorm, fut, despite this, working class military was soon being shown in revolutionary forme. Anearly nove was made al Charlevdle.a town which had enpoyed a general sirike every year fram 1418, On 13th Auguat, at the local co-operative cream: ery, Christopher Foley led out workers organised in the 17 WOU, ina lightning strike, This acthon was io strengthen the demand for a clased thep for the (7.0.6.1; twwenmployees were mot orpanixed therein, Michael Mothe rae, Che (hin: man Of the local Rita! District Council proposed arbitration. This was rejected by the creamery’s Committee of Manage nent.

The next dav, the strikers seieed the creamery and ordered our the manager and the 2 scabs who had kept il working.

But they dit not inemediately work the place Instead, they damanthed the machinery and closed down the premises. This mav not have been relative conservation, the creamery was owned by iis suppliers so that bo close dawn the place rather than io. take their milk was the way to hort the bosses.

The dispute continued until 20th Auguar, when the committer of management-aereed finally to refer it to arbitration, On the 23rd the relevant iihunal ordered the creamery to employ only members of the 1. 'T.G,W.U) and criticised the comrntiee far having refused to negotiate. lt criticesed Foley, also, for the suddenness of his action, but he had won his case.

Charleville was merely the first of a series of similar, and, mainky, more radical, accons that showed how far the leaders of Irish Labour were behind their followers, The next took place at the Mills and Bakery at Bruree, 0, Limerick, o plant owned by Meare, Cleeve. In the history of this event.one is hand capped by the supertluity of contlicting stories. Certainky the dispute began in Wovember. 1920, when what were numbered respectively as 4 (by one of thei comrades), | bachelor (by the company) and 2 (by the Cork Examiner) employees were sacked. In February, |921, the |,T.G.W,, the sacked men: Union, called for the letters’ PMiistabemernt aie far payment of full wages (ET in alli for the 14 weeks in which they had been laid off. The company refused, but, the next mon according to itself, it reinstated the one man involved, Despite the Company's seit-aatisfaction, on Friday evening, 26th August the employees ip the mills aml the bakery oeeupied these plants. They were ~ fed in thes by the local 1,726.00) organisers, Sean Dowling and Sean Metirath, Boch of these hed led the workers ut a-simntiiar-fight against Mesars. Cleeve in May (920, when they helped organize the occupation of the Knocklong creamery owned by the company's subsidiary, the Condensed Milk Companvasthotown Bere, was nore suceeastuls it cat its OF Ireland. in the new fight, only the Manaper, the Chief Clerk and an assistant to the latter stood aloofit Queenstown, there were detained two Gireo Another organiser of the 1-7 GWU, Patrick Divherty, was appointed Manager of the new, Soviet conmeem. With the mill the workers tack over [4.500 worth of condensed milk (irom the neighbouring factory) and over 20 tons of Meu & teeding-stutls. The Red Flag was hoisted over the buildings and, sbewe deeb entrance, wee placed a placard: “BRUREE SOVIET WORKERS MILLS, WE MAKE BREAD, NOT PROFITS”. A more detailed proclamation declared:“Thuree Mills and Bukery are mow the property cl the workers. The Mill and Shopare open fou the sale of bread, flour and meal. It is hoped ro reduce prices and do away with proliteccine within o Giv—By Onder of the Workers”.

The Soviet was a3 good as its word. The lh loa!’ of bread. sold clatwhere at Bd was marked down to fd, Coals general price per cat. aes 410d 4/800 al Brice, Sad. Flour was cut fram 3a'ed to 2ifhd per sack: indian meal, fret 37 /- 10 A3y-) pollard from 14s tee 13)-; linseed anealy from 27f- to 25!- per cwe., Nake meal from 28/6d to 27 fear barley meal Frog (Si te 1il-, Not-sugPrisingly, sales rose-by neatly 100%, and the Soviet declared its intention to hire more fawds, ot aceonnt OF the increasing demand. Ir alsa rained wages and salaries all round by 7)6d per week. WH claimed poo, that output rose oo mest the dettaric, Fhe irish fndependest described the villagers af Brures as tegarding the affair “with an element of unconcerned hurneur, not unmixed with amare ment.”

In Britain, the Home Office declared it to be the result of Moscow propaganda, The reaction of Constance Marcieviex, returned to the Dail Department of Labour after months in British jails, does not seem to have heen qualitatively different, According to Patrick O'Connor (it a subsequent ipue of the Fades of Loder), she summoned the Soviet leader to Dublin, Cer. lainly nepotiations were proceeding at Liberty Hull, betore the-end of the month: And, on 2nd September. the dispute was settled, “arnicably” ‘according to the Unionist, Cork Cossnintion: according to U'Conner, only after Marcievice had threatened ta send the Volunteers to eject the Rovied if its members did not leave, peacefully. Oa 3rd Seplember, the Mills were returned to Messrs, Cleeve, “uber formal conditions.”

But, by then, another dispute was approaching Soviet proportions in Cork on 14th March 1420, the dominant Sinn Pein—LT.G 4.0, coalition © onCork Corporation had had a motion pased thatset up a Commission inte the Coat of Living in the city. Ad the end of September, it reporied estimating that a “living wage” in Cork was O0)- per week—tather more than most workers recemed at the time. On Lith Febru in 192) the Corporation ratified this statement.

bmimediately, the harbour workers raised a claim for the recommended living wage (an increase of iGd per week in what they cor}. Under the pressure of the claims of unity against Britain, this was allowed co lapse until the Trace, The horbour Board stated thar the individual 74d per week wage ieerease would be tod expensive for Was pears OF war had reduced its elfficiency.

Ata meeting of the Board in Awgust one of its members Councillor Rabort Day, the Secrenry of the Cock Branch of the 11.0. WU), propesed that the matter be referred to arbitratian, He could met get a ssoonder, although the Chairman, Fd, Daly expreseed eympathy. On 25th Aiguel, he repeated his deteat to the Cork & District Trade Union & Labour Counel which noninated a delegation to see the Borad on the matter. [t failed too.

From 12.30 p.m, the next-day, apart fromthe ‘docks of the City of Cork Steampacket Co, & the Chyde Co, the port of Cork was strikebound, This situation was intensified further becuse the dockers were supported by the river pilots by a sympathetic strike of 4 Queenstown dockers, Five stemmers were heldapin Cork harbour. At Cork Quay, there were tour colliers, two the Start Poiag aml the Je Porawith pit wood cargoes, and two the der and the Mes, with ballast. At Maric mills, 2 grain steamer, the Comgge Aad, wis held forcibly; ihe pilot was detained ashore, and the mate wus prevented from-lushing the-ropes, The Bancory Bay Steanidip Company's costal vessel, the 5.5, Princess Beara, loaded with a general carga for wire houser and reached the sea without a pilet, aigammers: the 4.5. Eriesiorough, with a cage of maize irom the Argentine, and, outside the harbour entrance, the Angk-American oil-tanker the fick On Foday, 2nd September, at 2.30 pio. 190 tirikers marched ina body behind the Red Flag to the ofliee of the Harbour Board to be paid off, On receiving their money, they placed ar other Red Flag aver-the office, before continuing amarch, behind the banner, theough the city.

Later, the LT GWU anounced that ib would distribute peroits to ships fer their pienage from iia Cork HOO. The nextday 4 meeting of aivikers voted againat granting any such documents. 1 seems to have been then that: Day {posibly inspired by the news of the Bruree talks! The Cork Executive announced its full slippurt propesed and pot carried bis motion to take over the harbour atfiee.

Meanwhile, in desperation, the Star followed the example of the Princess degen, cut ils houser ane gol away bo sta without 2 pilet, On Tih September, both the Cork daily papers were onooiraging panic against the strikers. The Cork Eoerieer warmed lest the shipping lines boycotted the harhowr. The Care Const warned lest the mecchants of the citv Go the SHITE.

Honetheless. the strikers tetused. ones ir «bss let the Stet fen and the Jey Port either leave or unload tinker al the Korth Chanel. [nstead, they placed pickets ar then, Su dames Long, the Secretary to the Harbour Board, was worried enough to call aapecal meet- Keneally made a circuit of those ot the haring of the Board at | p.m. on that day to discuss the strike.

Sstiamelirip Orders were suspended to discuss mem ten of Alderman Liam de Pooiste, T, OL, that the jivike be arbitrated, under the direction of the Dail Department of Labour by a committee composed of representatives of che Board. the wockera and the Dail.

This proposal (ind, indeed the suspension of Startling Qriers to discuss it) were opposed from two contrasting Quarters, One was Sir loko Scot, the Leader of the Unionisteof the Cork Corporation, Ele had alrendy objected to the Board’s-asnémibling tinder the Red Flag. Now be denounced any compromise with che striker who were, he maid kept oot only by intimidation.

Day had opposed motion and suspension from his own standpoint, Now he made itcleur to the Board. He devied Scott's statermend grid declared that the workers were raudy to tuke over the full funsing of the port, that they would and that they would biprewe weed ing cut the incompetent ruthlessly. . lared that the proposed, belated offer had come: tos late, He had put the motion fora takeover, The mechanigs were willing to serve under the Soviets. Now le offered the-clerks a sipnilar share in it. The Red Flag would be taken down only at the costar” 10, 20—aye, 100 lives. Lf the Irish Republican Govemunent can put ine oul of office tomorrow, they can. de it. But they hire bo count the cost’, Ihe Roiste was comcilintory, Ue pleaded the Tao War and Martial Lawas the excuse Jor the harhour's inefficiency, He declared himself ready otfer control of tt to tbe 1 Ta WL —bur only ueder the proper forms, be ented by emphasising Cuil Eireann's capitalism; it recs mised the right to sirike; bur it was determined Lo prevkac® preper ty , The Board voted in [avouriof ile Revistas mee lie, It alse appealed to the Cork Executive ofthe FTG. W UL bo ageept ie taned chica restrain Poohert Day.

for its District Secretary. Long locked aay all the Harbour Offices’ books and documenta in preparation for the takeover. All that happened a5 a result of the Beéerd’s ofler was that, the next dav, Sepeember oth, che Gort Coartitutier denounced it, in fader column for iis “abdicaion” of its reypesthi ities, On the same dav-as this appeared, at 10.30 9.1m. a crowd of workers proceeded to the Harbours Oitiees ta tuke charge. Day led ina peoup al three compost of himself, Thocnas Coyle, and William: Kernmeally, the Chairman of the Cok Brauch af the LTO. 0. They asked Long to seme under workers’ conceal, When he refused, he was replaced by Dery as “Chiet Comision of the Port of Gork™, with Kenneally aa Sccond Conmmisianer and Coyle ss “General Steward.

bor stall that hadaet yer been consulted as to the seizure. [twas acocpted by the Harbour Master, Captain Blanchard, the Assistant Emginee, the caretaker and the telephonists. The office stall was les: Tavqursble. Inthe depurt ment of the Accountant and the Dues Collector, ialight majority of the employees denied the

liquidity of the Soviet and refused to work in 1, They were allowed to leave peacelully Having won what-enpport cowid be won in the Curk offices, Kenneally, Cowl and Thomas Murphy tock a launch (flying the Ried Flag) co Queenstown to take over the harhemr cheng.

But the office workers’ lack of solidarity, eddbed to the locking away of the Harbour Offer books, were Faeries to the Some" ppm. Kier: Fly theless, its Comuminiioner axuerted their teed nes io collect the hartcar dues Dey seomced thal ships would mene to ated fires ther borteoeer only with bis permis. He eet shoot bs the Hiewiek and exit permits to several of the ships that had been waiting ta leave. Against overentinisigstic workers who-widhed to use the offices fortheirown private ends (becouse they Were now, common property) he ineinted on the building's function and privacy being Teepected, Gnce immediate busines had been setiled. ihe Commissioners held a press comference. Here Konnently. announced his readiness to assert the authority of the worker even against that of Dail Eireann, Day wes more modetate, He declared that the Soviet had taken the greatest pains to have avoided invalving anyone other than the harbour workers, snd pointed out that the cross-channel shipping and carrying COMPARES WETE Operating ss usual But the Harbour Boord was looking fora means it regain comtral, even by a tactical retreat. Tt was supported hy the Secretary’ of Dail Bireann’s Department of Labour, At 1 t.20a.m.. he and FJ. Daly led a deputation that met Konneally and offered hin mew terns! that the strikers return to work on the old pay scale (receming back pay for the strike period) uni) Sararday, Oth September. Then, af |) am.,a commitice made up of Daly, Daly anda Chairtun, tobe appointed by Dail Eiteann, would meet to disGiese the Tull wape claim, incduding the arrears thereat rem 4th February, and to cake » bind: hg decision on the matter.

Having heared these terme, the Cornustissiueers discussed thern among themselves. They agreed to recoMinend them bo a special mecting of the strikers at 3.00 p.m,, with ihe pilots’ leader. Coptim 0. O'Regan, in the Chair, Kenneally moved the acceptance of the proposal He praised Daly highly. In what wer: tn have beena 0p bo heargects opinion, he pointed owt that the workers action had shown that chey were nur Ching Up! ork Harkour Day addressed his hearers a5 “Bolsheviks” but backed Kenneally. He insisted that ine propos gale did mot provide for “arbitration”, but for a conference, ate thar, i this-failed end in the chim being granted, be would move to revive the Suviel, He denounced the lost trade unionism of the clerical seult, Like Kenneally at the press conference, he warned against tou mach test inthe Republicans; the 1.RLA. Gould be weed aaa dtrike-breaking force, in which case, 0 would have lo be opposed.

When O'Regan put the proposals to the meeting, they were carried uneniricusly.

Day directed the strikers to return iio work, He declared that the Red Flag wuld only be lowered by the men who raised it “on Monday (next)

shen we have our £3/10-" The meeting ended with Kenneally’s beading the méeting in The Red worker erfuaed to cemme their jote the aeat dey Fi 7. Ve bot 4 protests again Red Flag wenulel be lower Led that everiing (us it was, af 6.00 pon.) On hearing ihe news, and despite the break of Day's promise on the flag, the Board's’ employees retuened to work, except for the hipyard men who resumed the next day, The following Saturday, 10th September, at 11.30 am., the commission met, Its proceedings were haarly stopped prematurely by a letter from J. J:

Walsh, one of the T, Ds for Cork City, who denewiced the 17 G.40."s disciplining of J scabs as breaking the agreement of the Sah. The anion agreed toatop, subject to its members® deceplance of the commissions decision, Talks resumed.

The settlement thal was-reached included the pay ment of the 7/6 d per week demanded since 14th February in a lump sum for the increase claimed, For the future, the workers were to receive a rice ‘£1 per week until a new Commission on the cost of living in Cork-is ported. This body's decision would be binding retrospectively to the Ith of September, unless the workers would suffer thereby. Inaddition # Committee of Bin quay was tobe egrablahed te look inte the working of Cark Harbour.

On l4th September, the Cork Harbour Board Falitied the apreoment, However, the next day, the Trades Council fused 10 assnciate itself with the proposed Cost of Living Conmmission, on the prounds that its oompesition gave it a bias in fie burnt thie capitalists, Even 40, (heagreement stoxl effectively for the restof the year, and the portaf Curck remained generally quiet:

The Cork Marbour Soviet itself had not heen the most developed form of workers’ conceot in irs peteon, As with all the seivures: untilthen, it was conceived a: tactic lo gsin fimiledends And, Even i Hote. LE leaders carried Lt through with Choesirely outspoken optimism combined with too little caution in seewing what they were profeisedd, But the seicure was important becouse its leaders! Sutspokenness give a specific form (o-existing aigns 8 to how the Irish struvele mighe pe, Lineal September, 1721, the Soviet disturtances had been mere le. sens of permanent revolution: that the Workers” Repu lic was a ceal potential i Sinn Fein's Republic, Wilh ihe the actual capitalison in that Parey's ceomeytie pe the British Government as-an equal, bourgenis, power, Thus, Marcievicz could threaten the Dail in the workers’ interests, On the day after the Cork Harbour Saviet, the Coré Comstirurion produced a first leader that defended the Dail tish Home Office was impressed similarly, Such fearswere increased, on the 9th September, by the appearance at the Cork and District Trades Union sad Labour Council, of J.T. Walton Newbold of the Communisl Party of Goeat Btitain. He praited the Irish Soviets to an apprecative gumience. This brought forth anether anti-Communist fader from the Cork Comsat fwtior, The Cork Bxanier was-more subtle;

anonyme letters appeared iin 1% columns, denowncing Newbold, on the alim ground that he had adenitted his inability co pronounce “Bronee™ Bart the most effective irunediate resuls of the Cork Harbour Soviet was thac tended the Sinn Fein 11 GW.U, alliance that hed controlled the Cork Corporation aince January, 1920, Duy and Kenneally were brought up before Sinn Fein and attacked for their use of the Red Flug (ai opposed to the Tricelor). Thay remained Wirt petiant and the peity bourgeols wine of the alliance drew away.

It posible that this was encouraged by permona! factor, The Lord Mayor ofCork, Doral O"Calisghen, was mot, generally, as sympathetic te Labour at his two predecesion, MoCurinin nod Machwiney. The Jeader-of the 1,T.G.W.U), on the Corperation, Alderman Taitgh Barry, Wal at one and the same time a member af Sinn Fein; the very personification of the alliance.

But in September,1921, he was interned by the British in Ballykinlar camp, where be would be killed by them in November, But personal differences could not alter the ob jective facts. The Soviet was the moat obvious division between the trade union and the party.

On Tth September, the Sinn Fein dominated Cork County Council voted out s motion bind ing it to employ only trade unten labour, The Pa E er a = = 4 the divisions between labour and Sane that nobody could imagine, new, that there was much badia for unity, Whan O'Callaghan ran for re-clection as Lord Mayor of Cork in Janunary 1922, he wat opposed by Kenneally on the specific issue of the social outhock.

The mistake of Day and Kenneally wus:that they did not try to force the pace any further, But it was understandable: they got ao guidance from. their National Executive.

Al least, they had brought matters te-a contron tation, Their comrades preferred to allow matters to develop hapharardly and totake each cause of dispute as it arose. Even mote, amerngst the trace unionists of Cork, thenewas aetually some critic of the seizure, At the Trades Council meeting al 13th September, a certain delegate Cody, of the Typographical Assoctation, denounced the Soviet, but he was alone, Outside Cork. there war a rashoof strikes over the country, mainly to achieve limited ends within the broad directives of the Labour Parry On the-orher hand, as of to emphasise the imPertarice of militant action, all Irish dock#rs, Hulse Cork, had their wages reduced by |. per week, with the bucking of Foran (the Presient of the 1.75.00), And, with the exoepten of these in Dundalk whi siruck against thia, thew georpted it.

But, in the midst of unplanned military ard timid leadership, one section of the Irish worker could still give their commdss a Turther leaeon in activism, This group was the sogineers, whose strike ha continued for over a month, Few forthe evenis thal were new toresult from it were the result of corscicns planning at ational, rather than focal, level uncertain, Certainly the choles of venue for this Soviet aelion can be explained beth on the gourds of pinch locnbimiliiancy, and on-thase of a national scheme prepare with the caution noritral to the Leith trade unisn Jeadership. The foundry at Dragtieds fad seen better dave. At one time it had employed 200; neve is atalf numbered 40. Thev were organised in 2 trade unions; the moulders, in the Amaloamated Engineeritig Union and the unskilled workers in the LT.G.W.U. The prePOR WEE PeonGinic crisisonised themselves were decribed by the frecran’s Journal ag “Tide and roomy” and the work that licy became explicit. With the truce, it waa mare was done there fad reached a high standard, But eager than mot to fonmalise ite position and to faceplans te expand production had had to be shelved due te the “Tan War and to a longer term lack of demund, The foundry was owned by the Drogheda Bruree Soviet with the Volunteers. And, thus, in Corporation, which leased heen at £12 per annum response to their-situation, Day & Kenneally ¢ouldto the Drogheda tron Works Compacty. directed insist belatedly on their readiness to opposé the By Telford (the Managing Director)and Buco, of Belfast, The workers bere, is ehewhere, had been enstrike since the 30th of July, inst threats of a Workers" Republic, The Bri- On 14th September,1921, at 8 a.m., the local branch secretary Of the ALE, arrived.at the foundry. He wis followed by 21 skilled men‘and 7 boys. They announead tothe Manager thei intentions of taking over the foundry as they could see no reason why the works should not be re-started. They would work the foundry until a seitlement waa reached, or, if net, then permanently on an expanded basis. There was, after all, great room for development.

A foreman moulder from Dublin was emplaved for the Soviet to direct the working of the foundry. The furnaces were re-started, mouldg were produced in respons te orders from Deublin firms. The Freesat y dourmal report talked of “roaring furnaces" and work apparently “at high pressure”, The takeover as generally supported in Droghada, though, of course, not by the well-to-do, (The fash Jedepenadenr reported penétal opposition to it, But it was likely to exaggerale any such tendencies), On the night of the 141h, the Soviet posted guards on its prove. But reaction was mot in mediate. appeared whe following afternoon when all were at work, A looyload of R10, men, under Detective-Inapectar Egan arrived at the foundry. They were armed with iruncbeora, and declared their orders to-clear the prernises ail Lheir own readiness co to do.

Less tealistic than their comrades in the south, the workers were taken by surprise, They ap pealed tog representative of the Foundry Company to tosure their payment forthe work that they had achieved. This was refused them, With the (hpeat from the BuLC. still present, they left quietly, Subsequently, they appealed tu the Mayor of Orophada, who agreed to-arhitrate on their claim, :

The prestnice of the foreman moulder from Dub:

lin if one piece of evidence that the Soviet was THO 3 Spon Lineotes or as kerally-limited a3 ite-ap of the occupation, He announced plans a taking over other industrial concerns in Drogheda and 3 foundries. in Dublin, But the ultimate evidence for there being a raHemnal scheme behind the Drogheda Foundry 5oWel i: the result of its defeat, Only 2-days after wards, on 17th September, the Dublin Branch ofthe AJEOU., with 100: members, accepted the proposed wage reduction. The [risk Erigineering Union held out benger, But, by the end af October, moat of the engineers had cecumned co work.

The Drogheda events coincided with a formal polilicd awakening on the pact of the leadership of organised labour, It began to hold meetings Th its wn Tame, posing as an opposition even tothe Republican status quo. Whether this was sincere or whethitr it was aimed to distract the militancy of its followers is uncertain. In prac: hee, tt helped towards the latter.

The first, and most dramatic, of theaa meetings was held at Bray on Sunday, 12th Septeinber, The Red Plog flew and Thomas Fussen (the secreuiry oF the Dublin Workers’ Council} demaimed the Workers” Republic, hinting at dire consespibences if it were mot achieved. However, Johnson urged that they were “not there to in eile Finles or vilent aetion” oad inalsted on keeping within'the limits wet by Dail Fireano. ‘Twn days later, at Clonmel, Cathal (Shannon posed the demand of “the land fer the péople™ againet that of “the land for the Farmers”, Such agitrtion could set destroy the objective cause of working class militancy, Allit could do was keep the workers toyal to eaders who were not Telly peepared to lead them anywhere, A few militunis were moved by Labour's failuit to cipilalise either en the rational, or on the coomomic & socal strugeles thet they took over the emall Socialiat Parry and torres if ine the Communist Party of lecland. But they were very mech in the minority. Encouraged by ita leaders, Trish Labour refused to face the question of state power, Asa result, the vacuum was filled by the bourgenisie, And thus, beth the Republican & the Socialist struggles were be: irayed.

DLR. O'Connor Lysaght

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(those pilota rciponaible for werking sea traffic between Cork & Qusenstewn, now Cobh) and